Gerhart's Heisman push: Real and deserved
In a season in which the Heisman Trophy chase has been anything but what was expected, how do you like the chances of a Stanford running back -- and, yes, a white running back -- winning the award? I dare say a month ago there were dozens, maybe even hundreds of Heisman voters who had no idea who Toby Gerhart was. Tonight: Gerhart takes a very deserved and hard-earned center stage. Stanford hosts Notre Dame and has a chance to put a big number on the Irish. After all, this is a team that scored 51 and 55 in back-to-back wins over Oregon and USC. Gerhart leads the nation with 23 rushing touchdowns and needs just two to set the school record. He's averaging near

No news on Tiger Woods' wreck yet
I just got a message from Hank Haney who said he has not yet received any word on the extent of Tiger Woods' injuries in a car accident this morning. it has been reported in the Orlando Sentinel that Woods was seriously injured in an auto accident just after leaving his driveway and hitting a tree this morning. Needless to say, news agencies are scrambling for information on the subject. You would wish the best for anyone in such a situation. From the standpoint of Woods' place in the sports world, that merely adds to the interest in hoping that his injuries are not as serious as they might be. Haney, of course, is a longtime golf coach and instructor who has

VY, Sagarin, Nadal, Turco: It's Tuesday morning wake-up call
It may turn out that this Tennessee Titans' train goes nowhere. The playoffs remain an awfully remote possibility. But the trip just from 0-6 to 4-6 with Vince Young at the helm has been worth the ride. I watched the second half of Monday Night Football, and I'm just wondering: Did the Texans ever get the ball? Seemed like the Titans offense was always rolling even if it wasn't scoring points. As for Young, he can complete just half his passes and that's OK as long as he isn't throwing interceptions and he's rushing for first downs (11 carries, 73 yards) like he was against Houston. As for Chris Johnson, 2,000 yards rushing is not out of the question. I don't think he

It's a Bay Area invasion: Warriors coming, too!
Before the Oakland Raiders arrive for the Thanksgiving Day game, the Golden State Warriors are here to face the Mavericks Tuesday. You may recall the Warriors as the team that derailed the Mavericks' 67-win season in 2007. Don't look around the court Tuesday night for any reminders of that series, at least on the Golden State side. Remember Baron Davis just abusing the Mavs point guards? Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes doing a great defensive job on Dirk? Jason Richardson and Al Harrington draining 3's from the corner? Well, those guys are gone. Yeah, all of them. It's the Monta Ellis Show right now, and it's not much of a show. The Warriors

Look out, Cowboys: The Raid-ahhhs are coming!
What is it with this brutal schedule against all these hot teams for the Cowboys? On Sunday, it was a red-hot (and much too red in the uniform) Redskins team bringing its 3-6 record, fresh off a victory over Denver. On Thursday, the Raiders and their 3-7 record, enhanced by yesterday's comeback win over Cincinnati, are in town. Actually, the Raiders are similar in their approach to the Redskins. They have a bunch of guys on the defensive side of the ball still playing hard. And they have an offense that really, really struggles to score points. But having benched former No. 1 pick JaMarcus Russell at QB, the Raiders no longer just give games away on offe